Moments
by BooksinMyDreams
Summary: Life is made up of moments. Love creates the best ones. AU No curse. David is a photographer, Mary-Margaret is his muse.


Moments

David had heard about this woman, Mary-Margaret Blanchard- Snow White in the business. Her skin was so fair, lips as supple and red as blood- thanks to a gorgeously plump lipstick.

She looked like a film star.

Her hair was almost mythical in a neat, raven pixie and the silk white dress with a slight V-neck flattered her natural curves. She was made for his camera; there was just one problem…. She wasn't smiling.

"Could you just…" he started nicely, unsure of what to say without appearing rude or insensitive.

"Crack a smile." she chuckled. "I'm sorry, it's just. It's my birthday today." Her eyes looked so very sad.

"Happy Birthday." David said giving her an honest and warm smile. "If I'd known… I would have gotten you a cupcake."

Her lips quirk into a playful smile: "With chocolate and cinnamon frosting?" He smiled to himself; he'd definitely save that piece of info for later.

"Whatever the birthday girl wants." he veers off- using her laughter as the perfect opportunity to take a perfect shot.

"Woman." Snow White retorts, a little breathlessly and suddenly it's like her walls are crumbling.

She turns.

Flash.

"Beautiful." David utters instinctively. Taking another while he can. It doesn't feel like work. Not the way she is staring at him now.

"Aren't you a real Prince Charming?" she says, eyes full of warmth as she shifts into another pose like the princess she should be.

"I have a name you know."

"Don't care." Mary-Margaret shrugs. " _Charming_ suits you."

"Don't move." he instructs firmly. She doesn't. Not one muscle, despite how fast her heart is beating under her chest.

FLASH

"Beautiful." she bites her lip. _Oh,_ is he in trouble.

If this were not his own studio, if she hadn't gotten dressed before- hand, they would have stopped hours ago. There would have been an endless stream of make-up artists, hair stylists and in his experience, an agent dividing her time into sixty second intervals at a time.

But, it is and they haven't.

Not for four blissful hours. The required shots taken an age ago and they both know it.

This is just an excuse. To flirt.

"Okaay." he laughs, "I have enough. We can stop."

"You had enough hours ago Charming."

"Did I?" he pulls away from his equipment with a twinkle in his eye as she steps away and walks over to him until her hands are touching his chest just right.

"Yes." she whispers as their eyes lock. "Much more than Fairest are paying you for."

"Then why did you stay?"

"Because…"she pauses, as if trying to find the words. "I wanted to. And I haven't done anything I wanted in a very long time."

"I'm glad."

They found themselves staring at each other's lips; she smiles and is just about to go in for a kiss when her cell rings.

It's on the counter in her pretty red handbag and it's ruining her life.

"You should-"David breathes, against her, their foreheads and noses are so close. "No."

"It might be important." God, why hell do people say that?

"This is important." she argues huskily, pecking his nose affectionately and then sighing happily as he joins their lips in short, clinging kisses.

"Does this-" she dips her head to catch his lips at a new angle and he winds his hands around her neck gently. She's warm, so very warm. He can barely think.

"Mmm. Happen often."

"What?" he strokes her cheek with his delicate thumb. "Kissing your model."

"No."

"Oh," she sighs pretending to be disappointed but, then a wicked grin crosses her lips and he knows he's been caught by this bandit. "We can't have that." she pushes herself up in her ivory heels. "Can we?"

"Absolutely not." he affirms.

They let it go to voice mail.

She wakes in his arms, feeling his heart thrum softly. "This is not how I expected to spend the afternoon." Mary-Margaret turns to him and he strokes the side of her cheek and she hums so deliciously he has to kiss her again.

"Ma. Neither did I."

"But, that was "

"Incredible."

She chuckles and pulls the sheet over herself more. "Are you cold?"

"No. No Charming." "It's just this day. Forget it, it's not your problem." she tries to change the subject but, the tears come anyway.

"Hey." he soothes kissing her tears away while gently guiding her onto her back so that she can have his undivided attention.

"It's okay."

"You can tell me, but if you don't want to we can talk about something else."

Mary-Margaret took a breath. She had only known him a few hours and already he was her perfect man.

"My mom. She died on this day. I- was- nine. And I miss her. Charming. I miss them so much."

He doesn't even blink before enveloping her in his embrace content to just let her be.

The next time he sees Snow White it's over dinner at her place a few days later having exchanged numbers and secured her address. It's just a regular apartment in the heart of Story-brooke, modest and homely and without a trace of pretentiousness. "So… my agent sent me the pictures." she starts her fingers entwined around a wine glass as she watches him stab some pasta twists, tomato sauce and half of a cut up meatball onto his fork but, he doesn't fill his mouth far too intrigued in what she has to say and the bright berry dress that makes her look a million dollars.

"What did you think?"

Her face lights up. "They're wonderful. It must have taken you a while to re-touch them though."

"I didn't."

"What do you mean? I saw them. They are stunning you had to have done something."

He puts his fork down to emphasise the point. "I never have and I never will."

"It's you."

She releases her glass and entwines her hand in her Prince Charming's.

They skip dessert. Happily.

Weeks pass and she gets nervous as she prepares to meet the other lady in his life.

"Honey, it's gonna be fine." David assures, looking into her eyes devotedly but, her fear is so strong.

"But what if she hates me?"

"David, what if she thinks I'm not good enough for you?"

"She doesn't."

"But, Charming I-" He silences her with a long and instinctual kiss. "She loves you because I love you."

"I love you too." she says with tears in her eyes. "And now I'm a wreck."

"MA! We'll be wrecks together."

She nuzzles him. "Like we shall do everything."

"Together."

His mother does love her, dropping shameless hints about marriage and grandchildren.

"MOM!"

"I would love that." His Snow beams taking a question that would throw most women off immediately in her stride.

"I want nothing more than to be with your son and to build a life and a family with him." she says honestly.

David smiles and kisses her softly to show he wants exactly that.

Ruth pulls him aside while his girlfriend is in the bathroom.

"If you don't marry that girl I will."

He laughs. "Don't worry. You won't be stealing my bride."

Mary-Margaret giggles to herself as she comes out. His face is a picture.

"Your bride huh?" she walks over to him lacing her arms around his neck thanking herself for the slight heel on her shoes so that she doesn't have to stand on her tiptoes to kiss her man.

" _Yours_." she says as he kisses her softly to make the point. " _Mine_." He barely took a breath before he said: "I'm yours. _Always._ "

And although they don't say anything more, when the time is right, she knows what her answer will be.

"So… how's Prince Charming?" Ruby asks curiously having met and instantly approved of her best friend's beau much to her husband Victor's faux irritation. The two friends, more like sisters after meeting just after her beloved father's death and her stepmother's subsequent desertion, loved to catch up over hot chocolate and a muffin.

"He is wonderful." she beams. It's been six glorious months but, that doesn't stop life getting in the way.

"But…" Ruby says instinctively, able to read her like a book.

"But, we've both been so busy lately. We've hardly seen each other and I worry- maybe I'm not enough.-"

"Don't you dare!" she snapped. "Mare, you are everything to him."

"I know. I just… don't want to share him with the world. Is that selfish? Wanting him to myself?"

"No, no it's not."

When she's gone Ruby gives Charming a call.

"David- it's me. Listen, we have a problem."

" _Hey."_

"Hi."

" _I miss you Snow."_

She hears his reply and tries to fight back a sob. "I miss- you too."

"When are you coming home?" Paris feels like a world away. His shoot is a world away to her.

There's a knock at the door and she waits for an answer. "David- when are you coming home?" She unbolts the door, pulls it back and has her answer in David standing there looking breathless at the sight of her. She hangs up and so does he barely managing to put their phones away before they crash together. Mary-Margaret pulls him in, pressing heated kisses to his lips, to the scar he got from her nails catching his skin the first time they made love. He kicks the rusty door shut and then returns his attention to her. "I _'m sorry_." "How are you here? Paris. I thought…" All these things run from her mouth but, he kisses them, teases them away.

"I got the first flight. I couldn't stand being away from you and then Ruby. MMM."

"Ruby called you?" she says, yet, she isn't the least bit surprised. He links them in a long kiss and she wraps her arms and legs seamlessly around him and gasps as he lifts her up and spins her around in euphoria.

"She called me and I came."

"You came."

"I came." David breathes into her lips as she kisses him rapidly. "I love you. I love you. Charming." Mary-Margaret sighs happily.

"I love you. Baby, I love you so much."

"The breakfast bar."

"The kitchen counter." he follows, kissing her softly as she pulls him into her. She runs her hands through his hair and makes a slow trail of kisses down his chest. They linger and tingle and he moans deeply.

"The couch." she continues ignoring his pleas for more kisses until she can't take it anymore.

"MMM. The floor." David remembers fondly. "You're cleaning it." she chuckles.

He pulls away and looks slightly dumbfounded. "Me?"

"Mmm. Yes. You. Mr Impatient."

David laughs and it is music to her ears as he presses a hard kiss to her waiting lips "Mrs Impatient."

"Mmm. Nice try." she pecks his lips and nips his nose.

" _Marry me._ "

Mary-Margaret gasps and pulls back scanning his face. "What did you say?"

He retrieves his mother's ring from the nightstand. Given with her blessing years before.

"But, how?" she gasps as he loops it on her finger. "Charming." she smiles, admiring the ring.

"While you were sleeping. I thought you'd see it but, we got so… caught up in each other." Mary-Margaret laughs but now he's looking at her with complete devotion it dies on her lips.

"My mother said true love follows this ring."

She sobs happily. "You're my true love."

Taking a breath she cradles his face and tries to hold back her tears. "I've loved you since the first moment I saw you."

He kisses her softly, lingeringly. "And I will love you until my last."

"Will you marry me?"

A mischievous but loving look fills her eyes, her smile, her kiss. "Mmm. What do you think?"

David laughs euphorically and they kiss and kiss and kiss. Completely and utterly happy.

He moves in.

They get a dog.

She quits modelling to go where her heart really lies. Teaching.

He goes back to where he started, finding joy in family portraits, college graduations, baby's first picture.

And he realises as he stares at the family, at their baby girl. He can't wait to be a father.

Head in multiple books while typing out an essay she is caught off guard by a sweet kiss to her lips.

"M-Hey."

He draws his thumb along her cheekbone sensually, drinking her in before kissing her more thoroughly.

Pulling away for breath she sighs huskily. "Not that I'm complaining but what was-?" Cutting her off again, he lifts her and spins her until she locks around him. Their little puppy Libby who is a beautiful golden lab doesn't know what to do with herself barking and wagging her tail before nestling into her pink checked dog bed.

"I just missed you." he says and she's happy to take that.

Very happy.

She looks into his eyes when they are in bed and knows why

"You're trying to get me pregnant." she grins and grins even more when he doesn't deny it.

"Maybe…"

"Definitely." Mary-Margaret insists.

"Okay, you've got me. What do you say?"

"I say… Make love to me, Baby Daddy." 

On a sunny day in April, in their local church David Nolan marries Mary-Margaret Blanchard in front of everyone they love.

Ruth kisses them and promises to look after Libby while they enjoy three blissful weeks in…

"Paris. David, how did you?"

"Know? You love it there."

"I do. I love you."

"MMM. I love you more."

Three days into their honeymoon, she wakes him with kisses.

"Someone's in a good mood." he laughs.

She laces her hands around his neck and guides his to her abdomen. "I am. I have some pretty wonderful news…"

"You do?" his eyes sparkle and then he realises where his hand is, sees the glow in her skin, her smile. "Say hello Baby."

"We're pregnant." The tears slip from her eyes as he kisses her and then their little miracle.

"Oh! Hello my precious baby. I can't wait to meet you. I love you and Mommy more than anything."

"We love you."

"Mmm. We're gonna be parents."

Nine months and two weeks later, they tell their daughter a story, about a beautiful princess, her charming prince and their baby girl.

"Princess Emma Ruth."


End file.
